UPDATE [March 19, 2021]: The modified installer described below is necessary, but no longer sufficient to make DisplayLink work with Ubuntu 21.04. Please see this newer blog posting for additional details.
UPDATE [May 10, 2021]: A bug in the installer script which was preventing it from detecting some Ubuntu 21.04 installations has been fixed. The download link below has the fixed version.
The DisplayLink installer for Ubuntu currently being distributed by the folks at DisplayLink.com is incompatible with Ubuntu 21.04. I’ve made some minor changes to make it work. You can download my modified version here.
To use it:
- Download the file at the link above.
- Unpack it with
tar xf displaylink-5.3.1.34-hirsuite.tar.gz, which will create a directory calleddisplaylink-5.3.1.34-hirsute. - Cd into that directory and run
sudo ./displaylink-installer.sh install.
This version contains the following changes from the official distribution:
- It displays a warning telling you that it’s an unofficial version and what is different in it.
- It uses the EVDI kernel module shipped by Ubuntu rather than the one in the installer, since that one won’t compile on Ubuntu 21.04.
- It contains a workaround for an apparent bug in udev in Ubuntu 21.04 (see here for details about the bug).
Feel free to email me at jik@kamens.us with questions about using this modified installer on Ubuntu 21.04. Please don’t email me with DisplayLink that aren’t about using this modified installer on Ubuntu 21.04.
P.S. For the paranoid among you, here is how you can confirm that the changes enumerated above are the only ones in my modified installer:
- Download and unpack my installer as described above.
- Download the official Ubuntu installer from DisplayLink.com. That will give you a file whose name ends in “.zip”.
- Unzip that file, which will give you a file whose name ends in “.run”.
- Run
sh displaylink-driver-5.3.1.34.run --noexec --keep --target orig. That will create a directory calledorigcontaining the official installer’s contents. - Run
diff -r orig path/displaylink-5.3.1.34-hirsute, wherepathis the directory you unpacked my tar file in.
Hi! Stumbled upon this blogpost.
Noticed that you are checking for “Hisrute Hippo”. On my 21.04 LTS only “Ubuntu 21.04” is reported without the codename.
This is fixed. The download link above now has the fixed version. Thanks for letting me know.
Distribution discovered: Ubuntu 21.04
This installer only works on Ubuntu 21.04 (Hirsute Hippo)
This is now fixed. The download link above now has the fixed version. I apologize for not fixing it sooner; I did not understand from your comment what was wrong until the later comment above yours. I should have paid more careful attention; sorry.
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Dear Jonathan,
thanks for the nice work, really appreciated. Ubuntu brought out an update for hirsute with kernel 5.11.0-11-generic which is not working with the monitor, I tried to run your installer again and saw no error but Acer is not working still. Not sure if there will be more kernel updates for hirsute. We will see.
Would be nice to know if you created an update for the installler.
Kind regards,
Hapee
I am not sure what you are referring to. I just installed all currently available Hirsute updates and kernel 5.11 is not among them; the most recent kernel version I see in hirsute is still 5.10.
If your DisplayLink monitor worked with kernel 5.10 but not kernel 5.11, and you’re certain that the version of evdi you have installed is the Ubuntu version rather than the version that ships with the DisplayLink.com installer, then you could file an Ubuntu bug report about the fact that evdi isn’t working in kernel 5.11, but other than that I’m not sure what to tell you.
I was just trying to thank you 😉
But this is the latest hirsute kernel:
5.11.0-11-generic
and the error is indeed related to edvi-dkms not installing:
evdi-dkms 1.7.0+dfsg-1ubuntu2: evdi kernel module failed to build
I do not expect anything just wanted it to let you know.
This isn’t “just trying to thank me,” this is asking me for something:
I don’t mind people asking me for things, but please don’t act like you’re not asking me for something when you are.
Again: I have two different computers upgraded to hirsute and neither of them is showing an available 5.11 kernel. Furthermore, https://packages.ubuntu.com/hirsute/kernel/ does note show a 5.11 kernel version. So, again: I don’t know what you’re referring to. Repeating yourself doesn’t solve that problem. If you believe 5.11 is the current hirsute kernel, then please provide some additional information about how you’re determining that to help me understand what you’re referring to.
Wauw, really sorry it was only with good intentions.
You know what would show “good intentions”? Either admitting you were wrong about the current hirsute kernel or GIVING SOME EVIDENCE THAT YOU ARE RIGHT SO THAT I CAN ACT ON THAT INFORMATION TO PERHAPS GIVE YOU THE HELP YOU CAME HERE TO ASK FOR.
You made an assertion while asking me for help. I told you I believe that assertion is incorrect and that unless I can find an explanation for the discrepancy between your assertion and my understanding, I cannot help you. I told you WHY I believe that assertion is incorrect, and provided evidence to support my belief. I asked you to provide whatever information you can to help me understand why you think you’re correct. You ignored my request — twice! — and instead simply reasserted the same thing.
That’s obnoxious, especially from someone who describes themselves as “open source, development of people and software, webdeveloper, ict4d, drupal, linux, ubuntu, geek, groenlinks, opendata, security, qubes, pgp & greenhost” and develops software for a living. You should know better.
Don’t come here asking me for help and then refuse to give me what I need to help you. I shouldn’t have to say this to anyone, let alone to someone with your bio.